Quilting Adventures

Sewing has always been a part of my life! Most photos of me in our family albums are in a dress my mom had made for me and some were made long before I was even an idea. All the afghans and throws in our home were knitted or crocheted by my Grandma Lind (and there are MANY). Anytime something was torn or ripped or became too big or too short, mom could and did fix it. If I saw a dress or skirt I really wanted, mom would say "let's go make it" and we would -- even better than the original. My parents taught us to be thrifty and use money wisely. The lessons within that that I learned from my mom were to use skills to make things yourself and to make what you have last longer.

My first memories of me sewing -- I remember being 6 or 7 and my mom sitting me down at her Serger to do the edges on, what felt like, a bagillion tablecloths for the Ward Christmas party.  

There began my love of sewing!  

When I was 9, my parents gave me a Serger for Christmas.  I sewed almost every Easter skirt/dress, all of my PJ pants, and quite a few purses and bags.  My favourite thing was using my mom's sewing machine.  The machine she had purchased a long time ago and sewed on for most of her life.  And now, she has given that machine to me.  I LOVE THAT SEWING MACHINE!!!

It wasn't until after I got home from my mission, that I found my way into the world of quilting. My mom and aunt are HUGE quilters, but I shied away from it because it was "TOO MUCH!" for me (and not to mention it is an expensive hobby, if you want it to be the best quality product).

My mom whipped up this Christmas Tree
skirt in 2 days!!!
SHE IS A PROFESSIONAL!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas 2013, I got to spend in Pennsylvania with my parents.  Baby Brother spent most of the holiday with Chelsea and her parents in DC so I got to be an only child.  This trip, I wanted to have an ongoing project to do so I wouldn't just sit around and read everyday until my family was available to go do something.  

When it comes to projects with my mom, I have to prep myself for the long-haul.  Because my mom is an expert in every single aspect and facet to crafts and sewing, she has a very high expectation for the result to be done well and done right.  I inherited that from her, but there is also a diluted side of that in me that, when I really get wound down and ready to move on, I will cut corners (figuratively) so I can do the next part or just get it done.  This project I knew would have to nail me down to perfectionism. For a play-by-play, check out the full post. Here's the photo diary of the process:     

Ready to roll!!  Choosing the fabrics always takes the longest
for me, because I have a vision of the result and each piece
has to coordinate perfectly.

All cut out and ready to sew on
to the white squares

Applique means adding pieces in layers to create
a design.  Then you sew around the edges to
hold them on.

The quilting.  My mom has a long-arm quilter so I was able
to do this part myself.  A lot of quilters pay others to do this
step because it takes a lot of time and attention to detail.
You have to do this to the ENTIRE QUILT

FINISHED PRODUCT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

REWARDS!!!!!!!! I entered it in the Utah State Fair and won a ribbon!!

For a play-by-play, check out the post 

My next project is, what I call, a "REAL" quilt.  It involves cutting out strips and squares, and piecing them together to create a blanket to sleep under.

TO BE CONTINUED...